Better
by Cheeky Slytherin Lass
Summary: When he first meets Luna, he is broken. She teaches him to be better.:: for Angel


_For Angel, via the Hogwarts gift tag. TheoLuna, angst with a happy ending._

 _I have no idea what this is, honestly. I hope you like it because I enjoyed trying my hand at this ship._

 _Word Count: 1033_

* * *

He watches them. Their presence on the Hogwarts Express can mean nothing good, and all Theo can do is watch. It doesn't matter that he's become disillusioned with the Dark Lord and everything his father stands for. He is still a Slytherin, and his first instinct is to keep his head down and mouth shut.

"They're looking for someone," Pansy says, craning her neck as the Snatchers pass them by. "Wonder who."

"Hope it's that Weasley bitch," Tracey laughs.

"Or Lovegood. Honestly, we'd be better off without that crazy thing running around," Pansy adds with a nasty laugh.

Theo feels his heart sink into his chest. He wants to defend Luna, but his jaw remains clenched.

 _Lay low. Don't do anything to arouse suspicion._

He repeats the mantra over and over in his head. If he follows his little rules, everything will be okay.

"Something wrong, Theo?" Pansy asks, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Nothing," he answers. "Nothing at all."

How could he tell them the truth? Would they care about the time he found Luna's pitiful body at the bottom of the stairs? Would they understand the pain he felt when she flinched at his touch?

* * *

" _It isn't you," she assured him. "It just still hurts."_

" _The Carrows did this to you?"_

 _She nodded, but she didn't have to. Only the Carrows are cruel enough to torture someone so small, so pure._

* * *

"You sure?" Pansy presses.

They wouldn't understand the time he's spent with her. Luna is too good, too kind. She hadn't cared that he's a Slytherin, that he's been complicit with the way Hogwarts has been run. She had taken his hand and told him everything would be okay.

* * *

" _You can't help what you've been taught," she told him, her silvery eyes fixed upon the bright moon overhead. "You just have to learn to be better."_

 _He never wanted to be better. Not until that moment. Something about the way her hand fit in his, the way she smiled, made him feel almost whole again. He never even knew he was broken until that moment._

" _I don't know how to be better."_

 _She turned her attention to him, smiling the most beautiful smile. "Don't worry. You don't have to figure it out on your own."_

* * *

He leans back in his seat, shaking his head. He doesn't bother with response.

There's a sudden commotion, and he hears someone screaming in the distance. "Let her go!"

"Put her down!"

"Luna!"

Her name causes him to jump to his feet. He opens the door to the compartment, peering out. Pansy nearly knocks him over in her rush to see what's happening.

They aren't gentle as they drag Luna along. Though she must be afraid, she keeps her head held high and a smile on her face. He almost laughs; it's such a Luna thing to do.

When they disappear, he feels as though he's plunged into icy water. His whole body goes numb, and his lungs begin to burn as he forgets to breathe.

* * *

" _Can I kiss you?" he asked._

 _She tipped her head to the side. "Why would you want to do that?"_

" _That's what you do when you fancy someone."_

" _Is it? Then I suppose it would be okay."_

 _Their lips met, and he knew that he would never want to kiss anyone else again. Her lips were soft and sweet, and they fit so perfectly against his._

* * *

And now she's gone, and all he wants to do is scream.

…

"Useless."

"What's useless, Father?" Theo asks.

"The Malfoys. They had Potter, and they lost him! The others too. That Mudblood boy and the Lovegood oddity."

He feels his heart turn cartwheels within his chest. Luna is free! He doesn't even realize he's smiling until his father slaps the back of his head roughly.

"Nothing to be happy about! Their incompetence reflects on all of us. The Dark Lord will be most displeased."

He doesn't care. Luna is safe, and nothing else matters.

* * *

" _You really shouldn't risk seeing me," Luna said. "The Carrows already suspect me, but they don't need to know about you."_

 _He laughed and pulled her close, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I don't give a damn if they know. You're worth risking everything for. As long as I know you're safe, everything is okay."_

* * *

…

They're lead out of the Great Hall. Theo can't deny that he's grateful. He's changed so much, but he isn't quite ready to risk his life in a war. It's one reason he's refused to take the Dark Mark for so long.

But as they walk along, he sees her. It feels like years since he's seen those silvery eyes and that mess of blonde hair. His stomach flutters, and he wants nothing more than to run to her. Escaping the line of his Housemates isn't easy, so he follows the exodus as long as he can, slowly drifting to the back.

"And where do you think you're going, Mr. Nott?" Professor McGonagall asks.

He swears softly under his breath. Any other professor would be easy to charm. The Gryffindor Head of House, however, is notoriously strict, and she so rarely cracks a smile. "I want to fight, ma'am," he answers.

"On which side?"

"Your side. For Hogwarts."

She looks like she's about to protest, but Luna appears. "It's okay, Professor," she says. "If you don't trust him, you can trust me."

It's clear that McGonagall doesn't like the idea of it. Still, she doesn't argue. "So be it. See to it that he doesn't do anything stupid, Miss Lovegood," she says curtly before stalking off.

"You came back," Luna says. "Why?"

He takes her hand gently in his and pulls her close. His arms wrap around her, and he feels as though a great burden has fallen off his shoulders. He had been so afraid that he would never see her again, and now he's in her arms. War is on the horizon, but he can't bring himself to care; Luna is his again, and the world is a brighter place.

"I wanted to be better," he answers.

"Don't worry. You're already the best."

"Only because I have you."


End file.
